Methods for performing multiple memory operations in response to a single command and memory devices and systems employing the same

ABSTRACT

Memory devices, memory systems, and methods of operating memory devices and systems are disclosed in which a single command can trigger a memory device to perform multiple operations, such as a single refresh command that triggers the memory device to both perform a refresh command and to perform a mode register read. One such memory device comprises a memory, a mode register, and circuitry configured, in response to receiving a command to perform a refresh operation at the memory, to perform the refresh operation at the memory, and to perform a read of the mode register. The memory can be a first memory portion, the memory device can comprise a second memory portion, and the circuitry can be further configured, in response to the command, to provide on-die termination at the second memory portion of the memory system during at least a portion of the read of the mode register.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/030,740, filed Jul. 9, 2018; which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/680,422, filed Jun. 4, 2018; each ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

This application contains subject matter related to an U.S. PatentApplication by Matthew A. Prather et al. titled “METHODS FOR PERFORMINGMULTIPLE MEMORY OPERATIONS IN RESPONSE TO A SINGLE COMMAND AND MEMORYDEVICES AND SYSTEMS EMPLOYING THE SAME”. The related application isassigned to Micron Technology, Inc., and is identified as U.S.application Ser. No. 16/030,746, filed Jul. 9, 2018. The subject matterthereof is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to memory devices and systems,and more particularly to methods for performing multiple memoryoperations in response to a single command memory devices and systemsemploying the same.

BACKGROUND

Memory devices are widely used to store information related to variouselectronic devices such as computers, wireless communication devices,cameras, digital displays, and the like. Information is stored byprograming different states of a memory cell. Various types of memorydevices exist, including magnetic hard disks, random access memory(RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous dynamicRAM (SDRAM), and others. Memory devices may be volatile or non-volatile.Improving memory devices, generally, may include increasing memory celldensity, increasing read/write speeds or otherwise reducing operationallatency, increasing reliability, increasing data retention, reducingpower consumption, or reducing manufacturing costs, among other metrics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram schematically illustrating a memorydevice in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are simplified timing diagrams schematically illustratingthe operation of memory devices and systems.

FIGS. 4 through 6 are simplified timing diagrams schematicallyillustrating the operation of memory devices and systems in accordancewith embodiments of the present technology.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating a memorysystem in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Many memory devices, such as double data rate (DDR) DRAM devices, arecapable of operating in a variety of modes (e.g., at different clockspeeds, with different refresh rates, etc.). In many cases, variousoperating parameters of the memory device (e.g., voltage, temperature,device age, etc.) may be utilized to determine an appropriate mode. Insome memory devices, a connected host may periodically poll one or moreof these operating parameters of a memory device to determine whether toadjust the mode. For example, a connected host may poll the devicetemperature (e.g., or information corresponding to the devicetemperature) to determine whether to modify the refresh rate of thedevice. The polling of the device temperature may require a dedicatedcommand on the command/address bus of the memory device, and the pollingmay be frequent enough to adversely impact (e.g., via congestion) thecommand/address bus.

Accordingly, several embodiments of the present technology are directedto memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods ofoperating memory devices in which a single command on thecommand/address bus can trigger a memory device to perform more than oneoperation, such as a single refresh command that triggers the memorydevice to both perform a refresh command and to perform a mode registerread (e.g., and to output information therefrom to the host device). Inone embodiment, a memory device comprises a memory, a mode register, andcircuitry configured, in response to receiving a command to perform arefresh operation at the memory, to perform the refresh operation at thememory, and to perform a read of the mode register. In some embodiments,the memory can be a first memory portion, the memory device can comprisea second memory portion, and the circuitry can be further configured, inresponse to the command, to provide on-die termination at the secondmemory portion of the memory system during at least a portion of theread of the mode register.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a memory device 100in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The memorydevice 100 may include an array of memory cells, such as memory array150. The memory array 150 may include a plurality of banks (e.g., banks0-15 in the example of FIG. 1), and each bank may include a plurality ofword lines (WL), a plurality of bit lines (BL), and a plurality ofmemory cells arranged at intersections of the word lines and the bitlines. The selection of a word line WL may be performed by a row decoder140, and the selection of a bit line BL may be performed by a columndecoder 145. Sense amplifiers (SAMP) may be provided for correspondingbit lines BL and connected to at least one respective local I/O linepair (LIOT/B), which may in turn be coupled to at least respective onemain I/O line pair (MIOT/B), via transfer gates (TG), which can functionas switches.

The memory device 100 may employ a plurality of external terminals thatinclude command and address terminals coupled to a command bus and anaddress bus to receive command signals CMD and address signals ADDR,respectively. The memory device may further include a chip selectterminal to receive a chip select signal CS, clock terminals to receiveclock signals CK and CKF, data clock terminals to receive data clocksignals WCK and WCKF, data terminals DQ, RDQS, DBI, and DMI, powersupply terminals VDD, VSS, VDDQ, and VSSQ.

The command terminals and address terminals may be supplied with anaddress signal and a bank address signal from outside. The addresssignal and the bank address signal supplied to the address terminals canbe transferred, via a command/address input circuit 105, to an addressdecoder 110. The address decoder 110 can receive the address signals andsupply a decoded row address signal (XADD) to the row decoder 140, and adecoded column address signal (YADD) to the column decoder 145. Theaddress decoder 110 can also receive the bank address signal (BADD) andsupply the bank address signal to both the row decoder 140 and thecolumn decoder 145.

The command and address terminals may be supplied with command signalsCMD, address signals ADDR, and chip selection signals CS, from a memorycontroller. The command signals may represent various memory commandsfrom the memory controller (e.g., including access commands, which caninclude read commands and write commands). The select signal CS may beused to select the memory device 100 to respond to commands andaddresses provided to the command and address terminals. When an activeCS signal is provided to the memory device 100, the commands andaddresses can be decoded and memory operations can be performed. Thecommand signals CMD may be provided as internal command signals ICMD toa command decoder 115 via the command/address input circuit 105. Thecommand decoder 115 may include circuits to decode the internal commandsignals ICMD to generate various internal signals and commands forperforming memory operations, for example, a row command signal toselect a word line and a column command signal to select a bit line. Theinternal command signals can also include output and input activationcommands, such as clocked command CMDCK.

When a read command is issued and a row address and a column address aretimely supplied with the read command, read data can be read from memorycells in the memory array 150 designated by these row address and columnaddress. The read command may be received by the command decoder 115,which can provide internal commands to input/output circuit 160 so thatread data can be output from the data terminals DQ, RDQS, DBI, and DMIvia read/write amplifiers 155 and the input/output circuit 160 accordingto the RDQS clock signals. The read data may be provided at a timedefined by read latency information RL that can be programmed in thememory device 100, for example, in a mode register (not shown in FIG.1). The read latency information RL can be defined in terms of clockcycles of the CK clock signal. For example, the read latency informationRL can be a number of clock cycles of the CK signal after the readcommand is received by the memory device 100 when the associated readdata is provided.

When a write command is issued and a row address and a column addressare timely supplied with the command, write data can be supplied to thedata terminals DQ, DBI, and DMI according to the WCK and WCKF clocksignals. The write command may be received by the command decoder 115,which can provide internal commands to the input/output circuit 160 sothat the write data can be received by data receivers in theinput/output circuit 160, and supplied via the input/output circuit 160and the read/write amplifiers 155 to the memory array 150. The writedata may be written in the memory cell designated by the row address andthe column address. The write data may be provided to the data terminalsat a time that is defined by write latency WL information. The writelatency WL information can be programmed in the memory device 100, forexample, in the mode register (not shown in FIG. 1). The write latencyWL information can be defined in terms of clock cycles of the CK clocksignal. For example, the write latency information WL can be a number ofclock cycles of the CK signal after the write command is received by thememory device 100 when the associated write data is received.

The power supply terminals may be supplied with power supply potentialsVDD and VSS. These power supply potentials VDD and VSS can be suppliedto an internal voltage generator circuit 170. The internal voltagegenerator circuit 170 can generate various internal potentials VPP, VOD,VARY, VPERI, and the like based on the power supply potentials VDD andVSS. The internal potential VPP can be used in the row decoder 140, theinternal potentials VOD and VARY can be used in the sense amplifiersincluded in the memory array 150, and the internal potential VPERI canbe used in many other circuit blocks.

The power supply terminal may also be supplied with power supplypotential VDDQ. The power supply potential VDDQ can be supplied to theinput/output circuit 160 together with the power supply potential VSS.The power supply potential VDDQ can be the same potential as the powersupply potential VDD in an embodiment of the present technology. Thepower supply potential VDDQ can be a different potential from the powersupply potential VDD in another embodiment of the present technology.However, the dedicated power supply potential VDDQ can be used for theinput/output circuit 160 so that power supply noise generated by theinput/output circuit 160 does not propagate to the other circuit blocks.

The clock terminals and data clock terminals may be supplied withexternal clock signals and complementary external clock signals. Theexternal clock signals CK, CKF, WCK, WCKF can be supplied to a clockinput circuit 120. The CK and CKF signals can be complementary, and theWCK and WCKF signals can also be complementary. Complementary clocksignals can have opposite clock levels and transition between theopposite clock levels at the same time. For example, when a clock signalis at a low clock level a complementary clock signal is at a high level,and when the clock signal is at a high clock level the complementaryclock signal is at a low clock level. Moreover, when the clock signaltransitions from the low clock level to the high clock level thecomplementary clock signal transitions from the high clock level to thelow clock level, and when the clock signal transitions from the highclock level to the low clock level the complementary clock signaltransitions from the low clock level to the high clock level.

Input buffers included in the clock input circuit 120 can receive theexternal clock signals. For example, when enabled by a CKE signal fromthe command decoder 115, an input buffer can receive the CK and CKFsignals and the WCK and WCKF signals. The clock input circuit 120 canreceive the external clock signals to generate internal clock signalsICLK. The internal clock signals ICLK can be supplied to an internalclock circuit 130. The internal clock circuit 130 can provide variousphase and frequency controlled internal clock signal based on thereceived internal clock signals ICLK and a clock enable signal CKE fromthe command/address input circuit 105. For example, the internal clockcircuit 130 can include a clock path (not shown in FIG. 1) that receivesthe internal clock signal ICLK and provides various clock signals to thecommand decoder 115. The internal clock circuit 130 can further provideinput/output (IO) clock signals. The 10 clock signals can be supplied tothe input/output circuit 160 and can be used as a timing signal fordetermining an output timing of read data and the input timing of writedata. The 10 clock signals can be provided at multiple clock frequenciesso that data can be output from and input to the memory device 100 atdifferent data rates. A higher clock frequency may be desirable whenhigh memory speed is desired. A lower clock frequency may be desirablewhen lower power consumption is desired. The internal clock signals ICLKcan also be supplied to a timing generator 135 and thus various internalclock signals can be generated.

Memory devices such as the memory device 100 of FIG. 1 can be capable ofoperating in a variety of modes (e.g., at different clock speeds, withdifferent refresh rates, etc.). In many cases, various operatingparameters of the memory device 100 (e.g., voltage, temperature, deviceage, etc.) may be stored in a mode register thereof and utilized (e.g.,by a connected host device) to determine an appropriate mode. Forexample, a connected host may periodically poll one or more of theseoperating parameters of the memory device 100 to determine whether toadjust the mode (e.g., increasing the refresh rate due to an elevateddevice temperature, or reducing the refresh rate due to a reduced devicetemperature).

One approach to polling operating parameters of a memory device includesa host sending a dedicated command to the memory device to perform amode register read operation and to output values therefrom on the databus of the memory device. For example, as can be seen with reference tothe simplified timing diagram 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, in response toa host device providing, on a command/address bus 220, a mode registerread command (comprising first a first MRR₁ portion 222 and a secondMRR₂ portion 223), the memory device outputs (e.g., after apredetermined delay) mode register read (MRR) data 251 to the hostdevice over a data bus 250 thereof. As can be seen with reference toFIG. 2, the mode register read command follows shortly (e.g.,immediately) after a refresh command 221, as is a common practice forpolling memory devices for operating parameters that may impact thedesired refresh rate thereof. As can be further seen with reference toFIG. 2, the mode register read command consumes two cycles of the deviceclock 210 on the command/address bus.

FIG. 3 is likewise a simplified timing diagram schematically 300illustrating the operation of a memory system with multiple memoryportions (e.g., channels, dies, ranks, banks, etc.). As can be seen withreference FIG. 3, in response to a host device providing, on acommand/address bus 320, a mode register read command (comprising firsta first MRR₁ portion 322 and a second MRR₂ portion 323) to a firstmemory portion (e.g., as indicated by asserting a low chip-select signal331 on a first chip select terminal 330 during the first clock cycle ofthe mode register read command), the first memory portion outputs (e.g.,after a predetermined delay) MRR data 351 to the host device over a databus 350 of the memory device. The mode register read command can followshortly (e.g., immediately) after a refresh command 321 directed to thesame memory portion (as is indicated by the assertion of a lowchip-select signal 331 on the first chip select terminal 330 during therefresh command 321), as is a common practice for polling memory devicesfor operating parameters that may impact the desired refresh ratethereof. To prevent degradation of the MRR data 351 over the shared databus, the second memory portion 360 can be instructed (e.g., by assertinglow chip-select signal 341 on a second chip select terminal 340 duringboth clock cycles of the mode register read command) to provide on-dietermination (ODT) 361 during the transmission of the MRR data 351. Ascan be further seen with reference to FIG. 3, the mode register readcommand consumes two cycles of the device clock 310 on thecommand/address bus.

In view of the frequency with which the operating parameters of thememory device stored in a mode register may be polled by a connectedhost device (e.g., in some cases as frequently as refresh commands aresent), the consumption of command/address bus bandwidth by mode registerread commands may rise to disadvantageous levels. Accordingly,embodiments of the present technology may solve the foregoing problemsby providing a way for a connected host device to poll operatingparameters of a memory device without providing a dedicate mode registerread command, thereby reducing the consumption of command/addressbandwidth.

Turning to FIG. 4, a simplified timing diagram 400 schematicallyillustrates the operation of a memory device in accordance with anembodiment of the present technology. As can be seen with reference toFIG. 4, in response to a host device providing, on a command/address bus420, a refresh command 421, in addition to performing the commandedrefresh operation (not illustrated), the memory device outputs (e.g.,after a predetermined delay) mode register read (MRR) data 451 to thehost device over a data bus 450 thereof. By configuring the memorydevice to perform, in addition to a refresh operation, a mode registerread operation in response to a refresh command, the amount ofcommand/address bus bandwidth consumed can be greatly reduced (e.g.,utilizing one cycle worth of clock 410 to send a single commandtriggering the same operations that previously took three cycles worthof clock 410 to trigger).

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the refresh command 421can be a standard refresh command, without any additional informationindicating the additional mode register read operation to be performed,as in an embodiment in which the memory device is configured (e.g., viaa mode register setting or other configuration mechanism) to interpretall received refresh commands as though they were refresh commandsaccompanied by mode register read commands. Alternatively, the refreshcommand 421 can be a modified refresh command in which one or more bitflags are provided to indicate to the memory device that the moderegister read operation is to be performed.

Turning to FIG. 5, a simplified timing diagram 500 schematicallyillustrates the operation of a memory system including multiple memoryportions (e.g., dies, devices, channels, ranks, banks, etc.) inaccordance with an embodiment of the present technology. As can be seenwith reference to FIG. 5, in a memory device or system with two or moreseparately-addressable portions (e.g., two channels of a memory device,two memory devices of a memory system), a common command/address bus 520can be used to indicate to the portions that a refresh operation and amode register read is to be performed by one of the portions (e.g., viaa refresh command 521). Unlike the approach illustrated in FIG. 3,however, in the approach illustrated in FIG. 5, in response to anindication to a memory portion that it is not the target of therefresh/mode register read command, the memory portion enters an on-dietermination mode for the duration of the communication of the moderegister contents on the common data bus.

In the example of FIG. 5, a refresh command 521 is sent with acorresponding indication 531 on the first chip select terminal 530 thatthe target of the refresh command corresponds to the first portion ofthe memory device (e.g., by pulsing the first chip select terminal 530low for one cycle of a clock 510 to indicate the targeted portion, andby leaving the second chip select terminal 540 corresponding to thenon-targeted portion high to indicate that it is not the targetedportion). In response, the first portion of the memory device bothperforms the refresh operation (not illustrated), and also outputs(e.g., after a predetermined delay) MRR data 551 to the host device overa data bus 550 thereof. Moreover, in response to the same refreshcommand 521, the second portion 560 of the memory device enters anon-die termination mode 561 for the duration of a communication 551 ofthe first channel 550.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the refresh command 521can be a standard refresh command, without any additional informationindicating the additional mode register read operation to be performed,as in an embodiment in which the memory device is configured (e.g., viaa mode register setting or other configuration mechanism) to interpretall received refresh commands as though they were refresh commandsaccompanied by mode register read commands. Alternatively, the refreshcommand 521 can be a modified refresh command in which one or more bitflags are provided to indicate to the memory device that the moderegister read operation is to be performed. The refresh command 521 mayfurther include one or more bit flags indicating to the memory devicethat on-die termination is to be performed by non-targeted portions ofthe memory device during output of mode register read data.

As the approach illustrated in FIG. 5, in which a refresh commandconveys information to memory portions that are not targeted for arefresh operation (as indicated by corresponding chip select signals)may involve non-targeted portions of the memory device decodingcommands, this approach can involve additional power consumption that,for certain power-sensitive memory environments (e.g., mobile), may notbe desirable. Accordingly, FIG. 6 illustrates with a simplified timingdiagram 600 the operation of a memory system including multiple memoryportions (e.g., dies, devices, channels, ranks, banks, etc.) inaccordance with an embodiment of the present technology in which thedecoding of commands by non-targeted memory portions can be avoided.

As can be seen with reference to FIG. 6, in a memory device or systemwith two or more separately-addressable portions (e.g., two channels ofa memory device, two memory devices of a memory system), a commoncommand/address bus 620 can be used to indicate to the portions that arefresh operation and a mode register read is to be performed by one ofthe portions (e.g., via a refresh command 621). Unlike the approachillustrated in FIG. 5, however, in the approach illustrated in FIG. 6, arefresh command 621 is sent with not only a corresponding indication 631on the first chip select terminal 630 that the target of the refreshcommand corresponds to the first portion of the memory device (e.g., bypulsing the first chip select terminal 630 low for one cycle of a clock610 to indicate the targeted portion, and by leaving the second chipselect terminal 640 corresponding to the non-targeted portion high toindicate that it is not the targeted portion), but also with anindication 646 on a dedicated “mode register read enabled” terminal 645that the refresh command 621 should be decoded even by non-targetedmemory portions (e.g., to enable the non-targeted portions to provideon-die termination). In response, the first portion of the memory deviceboth performs the refresh operation (not illustrated), and also outputs(e.g., after a predetermined delay) MRR data 651 to the host device overa data bus 650 thereof. Moreover, in response to the same refreshcommand 621, which the second portion of the memory device is configuredto decode in response to the indication 646 on the mode register readenabled terminal 645, the second portion 660 of the memory device entersan on-die termination mode 661 for the duration of a communication 651of the first channel 650.

This arrangement, in which commands are only decoded by non-targetedportions when an enable signal is asserted, permits non-targetedportions of a memory device to avoid having to decode other commands(read commands, write commands, etc.), but still allows for the properon-die termination during a mode register read output, providing adesirable power savings, albeit at the cost of dedicating a terminal tothe enable signal. In some embodiments, however, the enable signal maybe provided on a shared terminal also dedicated to other functions, suchas loopback DQ (LBDQ) and/or loopback DQS (LBDQS) terminals.

Although in the foregoing examples, memory devices have been illustratedand described as responding to refresh commands with both refreshoperations and mode register read operations, in other embodiments ofthe present technology other commands can be configured to trigger othercombinations of operations to provide similar savings in command/addressbus bandwidth. Moreover, although the memory devices in the foregoingexamples have been described and illustrated as responding to everyrefresh command with both a refresh operation and a mode register readoperation, in other embodiments of the present technology the responseof a memory device to such a command can be configured (e.g., with moderegister settings, applied enable signals, etc. indicating whether ornot the multiple operation in response to a single command mode isenabled).

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating a memorydevice in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Themethod includes receiving a command to refresh a memory device (box710). According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the receivingfeatures of box 710 may be implemented with command/address inputcircuit 105, terminals connected thereto, and/or command decoder 115, asillustrated in FIG. 1 in greater detail, above. The method furtherincludes, in response to the command, refreshing the memory device (box720), and performing a read of a mode register of the memory device (box730). According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the refreshingfeatures and mode register reading features of boxes 720 and 730 may beimplemented with memory array 150, read/write amplifiers 155,input/output circuit 160, terminals connected thereto, and/or othercircuit elements of memory device 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1 ingreater detail, above.

It should be noted that the methods described above describe possibleimplementations, and that the operations and the steps may be rearrangedor otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible.Furthermore, embodiments from two or more of the methods may becombined.

Information and signals described herein may be represented using any ofa variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data,instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chipsthat may be referenced throughout the above description may berepresented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magneticfields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combinationthereof. Some drawings may illustrate signals as a single signal;however, it will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the artthat the signal may represent a bus of signals, where the bus may have avariety of bit widths.

The devices discussed herein, including a memory device, may be formedon a semiconductor substrate or die, such as silicon, germanium,silicon-germanium alloy, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, etc. In somecases, the substrate is a semiconductor wafer. In other cases, thesubstrate may be a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, such assilicon-on-glass (SOG) or silicon-on-sapphire (SOP), or epitaxial layersof semiconductor materials on another substrate. The conductivity of thesubstrate, or sub-regions of the substrate, may be controlled throughdoping using various chemical species including, but not limited to,phosphorous, boron, or arsenic. Doping may be performed during theinitial formation or growth of the substrate, by ion-implantation, or byany other doping means.

The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, softwareexecuted by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. Otherexamples and implementations are within the scope of the disclosure andappended claims. Features implementing functions may also be physicallylocated at various positions, including being distributed such thatportions of functions are implemented at different physical locations.

As used herein, including in the claims, “or” as used in a list of items(for example, a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least oneof” or “one or more of”) indicates an inclusive list such that, forexample, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB orAC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, as used herein, the phrase“based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set ofconditions. For example, an exemplary step that is described as “basedon condition A” may be based on both a condition A and a condition Bwithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In otherwords, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in thesame manner as the phrase “based at least in part on.”

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments ofthe invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration,but that various modifications may be made without deviating from thescope of the invention. Rather, in the foregoing description, numerousspecific details are discussed to provide a thorough and enablingdescription for embodiments of the present technology. One skilled inthe relevant art, however, will recognize that the disclosure can bepracticed without one or more of the specific details. In otherinstances, well-known structures or operations often associated withmemory systems and devices are not shown, or are not described indetail, to avoid obscuring other aspects of the technology. In general,it should be understood that various other devices, systems, and methodsin addition to those specific embodiments disclosed herein may be withinthe scope of the present technology.

We claim:
 1. A memory device, comprising: a memory; a mode register; andcircuitry configured, in response to receiving a command to perform arefresh operation at the memory, to: perform the refresh operation atthe memory, and perform a read of the mode register.
 2. The memorydevice of claim 1, wherein the read of the mode register includesoutputting data from the mode register from the memory device.
 3. Thememory device of claim 2, wherein the outputted data includesinformation corresponding to a temperature of the memory.
 4. The memorydevice of claim 2, wherein the outputted data includes informationcorresponding to a refresh rate of the memory.
 5. The memory device ofclaim 1, wherein the command has a duration on a command/address bus ofthe memory device of a single clock cycle of the memory device.
 6. Thememory device of claim 1, wherein the command includes a flag bitindicating that the read of the mode register is to be performed.
 7. Amethod of operating a memory system, comprising: receiving a commandinstructing a portion of the memory system to perform a first operation;and in response to the command, performing the first operation, andperforming a second operation of a different kind than the firstoperation.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first operation is arefresh operation, and wherein the second operation is a mode registerread operation.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second operationincludes outputting data from the mode register read operation from thememory system.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the outputted dataincludes information corresponding to a temperature of the portion. 11.The method of claim 9, wherein the outputted data includes informationcorresponding to a refresh rate of the portion.
 12. The method of claim7, wherein the command has a duration on a command/address bus of thememory system of a single clock cycle of the memory system.
 13. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the command includes a flag bit indicatingthat the second operation is to be performed.
 14. A method of operatinga memory system, comprising: sending a command instructing a portion ofthe memory system to perform a refresh operation; and in response to thecommand to perform a refresh operation, receiving data output from amode register of the memory system.
 15. The method of claim 14, whereinthe outputted data includes information corresponding to a temperatureand/or a refresh rate of the portion.
 16. The method of claim 14,wherein the command includes a flag bit indicating that the data is tobe outputted from the mode register of the memory system.